Several sleep disorders, such as dysomnia, sleep walking disorders, jet-lag and certain emotionally-, drug- or age-related sleep disturbances, can be alleviated if the patient, or subject, suffering therefrom can be induced to engage in paradoxical or rapid eye movement (REM) sleep for longer periods of time.
Unfortunately, the use of the majority of known drugs, e.g., trazodone and other 5HT-2 antagonists, benzodiazepine sedatives, barbiturates and the like, which have been given to help persons afflicted with these types of disturbances, have generally resulted in the person's having shorter REM sleep periods or less deep REM sleep, delayed the first REM episode, i.e., increased REM latency, and reduced the number of discrete REM episodes experienced during the night.
REM sleep is believed to be important in the body's overall well being, since it is during periods of REM sleep that much of the damage done to the body as the result of physiological and/or psychological stress is repaired or alleviated.
The problem is exacerbated by the fact that abrupt withdrawal from most anti-depressants or sedatives usually induces "REM rebound", which can be associated with increased dream intensity and the occurrence of nightmares. The chapter entitled "Sleep Disorders" at pages 297-313 in The International Classification of Sleep Disorders: Diagnostic and Coding Manual published by the American Sleep Disorders Association (Rochester, Minn., 1990) discusses the rebounding effect as it manifests itself when antidepressants are withdrawn after treatment for dream anxiety disorder or nightmare disorder (page 308).
Sedative and hypnotic drugs, such as the benzodiazepines, are generally contraindicated since they actually decrease REM sleep time, prolong REM latency and produce REM rebound. Thus, with few exceptions, antidepressants have not been selected as agents when the object of treatment is the production of more deep, or REM, sleep and less light sleep.
Two studies discuss the use of amineptine, a tricyclic compound, to treat depression. Some discussion of the drug's effects on sleep cycles is also presented. See P. Bramanti et al, "Study of the Hypnic Effect of Amineptine Evaluation by Means of Polygraphy and Tests", Prog Neuro-Psychopharmacol. & Biol. Psychiat., 1985, vol. 9, pp. 157-65 (Pergamon Press Ltd, 1985) and R. Di Perri, et al, "The Effects of Amineptine on the Mood and Nocturnal Sleep of Depressed Patients", Prog. Neuro-psychopharmacol. & Biol. Psychiat. 1987, vol. 11, pp. 65-70 (Pergamon Journals Ltd., 1987).
In another study, C. Soldatos et al. reported that an experimental tricyclic antidepressant, designated "S-3344", increases REM sleep. See Prog. Neuro. Psychopharmacol. & Biol. Psvchiat., 1988, vol. 12, pp. 899-907 (Pergamon Press, 1988).